Rooftop tape storage rack

ABSTRACT

A rooftop tape storage rack comprising a unitary device having a bottom wall, spaced side walls, and an end wall, one side wall having an opening therein for permitting cartridges to be inserted and removed, and a longitudinally extending slot in the bottom wall through which a finger can be inserted to raise a cartridge for removal through the opening in said one side wall. Means are associated with said device for fastening said device to the roof of an automotive vehicle.

States Patent 1 [111 3,847,316 Mclnnes 1 Nov. 12, 1974 1 ROOFTOP TAPESTORAGE RACK 239,727 2/1946 Switzerland 206/D1G. 32

[76] Inventor: Robert P. Mclnnes, l 108 Fairway Linden Mich- 48451Primary E.\'am1'ner-Robert J. Spar [22} Filed; 24, 1972 AssistantExaminer-lerold M. Forsbcrg Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Barnes, Kisselle,Raisch & [21] App]. No.: 309,051 choate 521 its. (31....244/421 c,224/4242 R, 224/4246 R I [51 lint. Cl B60m 7/08 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Fieldof Search..... 224/421 C, 42.1 CA, 29 A,

224/4242 R, 42.41, 42.46 R, 42.1 R, 42.45 A rooftop tape storage rackcomprising a unitary dc- R; 206/73, DIG. 32, DIG. 36; 211/51, 49 D, vicehaving a bottom wall, spaced side walls, and an 41; 312/71 end wall, oneside wall having an opening therein for permitting cartridges to beinserted and removed, and [56] References Cited a longitudinallyextending slot in the bottom wall UNITED STATES PATENTS through which afinger can be inserted to raise a car- 1 tridge for removal through theopening in said one side wall. Means are associated with said device for3,627,298 12 1971 Reese .:Iiiiiiiiiiiriiii: 20 /DlG: 36 fastening Saiddevice to the roof of an automotive 3,666,337 5/1972 Sztorc 206/D1G. 36hide- FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures522,794 4/1955 ltaly 224/421 C ,2 L .A /fi I [i-{ I L. ZZ/AHL.) H a U lnoorror TAPE STORAGE RACK This invention relates to storage of tapecartridges and particularly to storage of such cartridges inautomobiles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In automobiles and the like, it has beencommon to incorporate tape decks which are used to play tape cartridgesfor the entertainment and amusement of the occupants of the automobile.One of the difficulties with respect to such devices is that cartridgesmust be stored, preferably out of the nonnal area of activity of theoccupants.

Accordingly, among the objects of the invention are I to provide a tapestorage rack wherein cartridges can be stored adjacent the interior ofthe roof of the vehicle and readily accessible to the occupants; whichis easily installed; which can be made at relatively low cost; which isaesthetically pleasing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The rooftop tape storage rack embodying theinvention comprises a unitary device molded from organic plasticmaterial and having a top wall, side walls, end walls and a bottom wall.The side walls have a substantially lesser height than said endwallsthereby forming an opening therein for receiving tape cartridges.The cartridges'are adapted to be held-in side-by-side relationship withthe side walls engaging the ends of the cartridges. A slot is providedin the bottom walland extends substantially throughout the lengththereof providing a finger receiving opening through which a finger canbe inserted to liftthe cartridges for ready re moval from the openingsin' said side walls. Laterally extending mounting panels extend fromsaid end walls at the area of juncture of said end walls and said topwall to provide a means of attachment to the roof of the automotivevehicle.

DESCRIPTION'OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic viewshowing the tape storage rack embodying the invention in position in anautomobile.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the same.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4-4 in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, the tape storage deck 10embodying the invention is adapted to be mounted on the inner surface ofthe roof ll of a vehicle A and is made as a unitary device of organicplastic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic.

The rack 10 comprises a rectangular top wall 12 and a rectangular bottomwall 13 joined by end walls 14.

the interior of the roof 11 of the vehicle, there eral conformation.

Vertical re-enforcing ribs 21 extend between the undersurface of thepanel portions 18 and the outer surface of the end wall 14.

The curved end portions are adjustably mounted on panel portions 18 byscrews 20 and wing nuts 23 extending through elongated slots 24 in thepanel portions 18. Eachpanel portion 19 includes a clearance slot 25 forthe rib 21.

The rack is mounted as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, preferably immediatelybehind the front seat with the panel portions engaging the inner surfaceof the roof 11. The rack is supported either by engaging the end of thepanel portions 18 with the conventional flanges 22 of the vehicle or byinserting fastening devices directly through the portions 19 into theroof.

A movable stop 26 of plastic material is provided in slot 17 and hasslits 27 so that it can be slidingly positioned along slot 17 to preventthe tape cartridges from tipping and rattling.

After the rack is mounted, cartridges C can be inserted in side by siderelationship through the opening 16 and readily removed therefrom. Tofacilitate removal of a particular cartridge from a group, the fingerslot 17 is provided through which a finger can be inserted to lift theparticular cartridge desired so that it can be grasped and removed fromthe opening 16. As will be seen in FIG. 2, the rack not only supportsthe cartridges but does so in a manner that the titles are readilyvisible through the opening 16. By storing the cartridges adjacent theroof, they are kept out of the way and also away from direct exposure tothe sun.

is genclaim:

1. In a rooftop tape storage rack, the combination comprising a unitarydevice molded from organic plastic material and comprising a top wall,side walls, end walls and a bottom wall,

at least one of said side walls having a substantially lesser heightthan said end walls thereby forming an opening therein for receivingtape cartridges,

saidcartridges being adapted to be held in side-byside relationship withthe side walls adapted to engage the ends of the cartridges,

a slot associated with the bottom wall and extending substantiallythroughout the length thereof providing a finger receiving openingthrough which a fin ger can be inserted to lift the cartridges for readyremoval from the opening in said side walls,

' laterally extending integral mounting panels extending from said endwalls at the area of juncture of said end walls and said top wall,

said laterally extending panels being curved generally downwardly withrespect to said top wall,

re-enforcing ribs between said panel portions and said end walls,

extension panels adjustably mounted on said mounting panels,

and a stop adjustably mounted in said slot in said bottom wall forengaging the. cartridges,

means on said extension panels for attaching the device to a vehicle.

2. In a rooftop tape storage rack, the combination comprising 7 anelongated device comprising a top wall, side walls,

end walls and a bottom wall,

the length of said walls being many times the width thereof,

at least one of said side walls having an opening therethrough forinsertion and removal of tape cartridges,

a slot associated with said bottom wall and a stop device adjustably.mounted along said slot for engaging the endmost cartridge of a seriesof cartridges,

said slot-providing a finger receiving opening through which a fingercan be inserted to lift the cartridges for ready removal from theopening in said side walls,

1. In a rooftop tape storage rack, the combination comprising a unitarydevice molded from organic plastic material and comprising a top wall,side walls, end walls and a bottom wall, at least one of said side wallshaving a substantially lesser height than said end walls thereby formingan openingtherein for receiving tape cartridges, an opening therein saidcartridges being adapted to be held in side-by-side relationship withthe side walls adapted to engage the ends of the cartridges, a slotassociated with the bottom wall and extending substantially throughoutthe length thereof providing a finger receiving opening through which afinger can be inserted to lift the cartridges for ready removal from theopening in said side walls, laterally extending integral mounting panelsextending from said end walls at the area of juncture of said end wallsand said top wall, said laterally extending panels being curvedgenerally downwardly with respect to said top wall, re-enforcing ribsbetween said panel portions and said end walls, extension panelsadjustably mounted on said mounting panels, and a stop adjustablymounted in said slot in said bottom wall for engaging the cartridges,means on said extension panels for attaching the device to a vehicle. 2.In a rooftop tape storage rack, the combination comprising an elongateddevice comprising a top wall, side walls, end walls and a bottom wall,the length of said walls being many times the width thereof, at leastone of said side walls having an opening therethrough for insertion andremoval of tape cartridges, a slot associated with said bottom wall anda stop device adjustably mounted along said slot for engaging theendmost cartridge of a series of cartridges, said slot providing afinger receiving opening through which a finger can be inserted to liftthe cartridges for ready removal from the opening in said side walls,said cartridges being adapted to be held in side-by-side relation withthe side walls adapted to engage the ends of said cartridges, andlaterally extending mounting panels connected to and extending from saidend walls longitudinally of the device, said panels includE extensionpanels adjustable longitudinally of said device, at least the endportions of said panels being curved generally downwardly with respectto the top wall and being adapted to generally conform with the interiorof the roof of a vehicle, and means on said panels for attaching thedevice to a vehicle.